Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to furniture and, in particular, to tables.
Description of Related Art
Conventional tables are used for a variety of purposes and come in a wide array of designs. Conventional tables often include table tops constructed from materials such as wood, particle board or metal. Table tops constructed from wood, particle board or metal, however, are often relatively heavy and this may make the table awkward or difficult to move. Table tops constructed from wood or metal are also relatively expensive and these types of table tops must generally be treated or finished before use. For example, table tops constructed from wood must generally be sanded and painted, and metal table tops must be formed into the desired shape and painted. In addition, table tops constructed from wood or metal are relatively heavy and that may increase the cost of shipping, transportation and/or storage of the tables.
In order to decrease the weight of conventional tables, table tops may be constructed from relatively light-weight materials such as plastic. Disadvantageously, table tops constructed from light-weight materials may require reinforcing members or additional structural components such as braces, brackets, support members and the like to strengthen the table top. While these additional parts may increase the strength of the table top, the additional parts may also increase the weight of the table. These additional parts may also increase manufacturing costs and require additional time to assemble the table. For example, more fasteners may be required to assemble and connect these additional parts to the table, which may require extra time and labor during the manufacturing process. The additional parts and fasteners may also increase the cost of the table and make the table more difficult to manufacture. Furthermore, these additional parts may have sharp edges that can injure a user's legs or arms.
Conventional tables often include legs that are sized and configured to support the table top above a surface, such as the floor or ground, and a frame that is connected to the table top. The frame may include a pair of side rails that are connected to the sides of the table top using fasteners. A number of fasteners may be required to securely connect the frame to the table top. Multiple fasteners may be required so that forces applied to the table top are transmitted to the frame.
When a large load or force is applied to some known tables, the frame may undesirably bend, deform and/or detach from the table top. In addition, the fasteners used to connect the frame to the table top may detach or separate from the table top. The fasteners may even damage and tear through the table top if the load or force exceeds a certain amount. Further, the frames and fasteners may allow the table to break or collapse in some circumstances.